Viotoe h



(No Modell) V. H. B'USGHMANN'.

BUSTLE.

Patented, Dee. 6.11887'.-

Figa 2.

Fay. 5.

Mm/ inw/m INVENTOR:

ATTORNEY.

N. PLI'ERS. Phalo-Lilbagrnpiur. Wnxhnglan. D4 CV vIoTOR H. RUsoRMANN, OE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, Ass'IeIvoR PATENT OFFICE rTo f AUGUSTUS H. BRINKMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

BUSTLE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,519, dated December 6, 1887.

Application filed October 24, `1887. Serial No. 253,194. (No model.) v A in Bustles, of which the following is a specifi-` cation.

My invention relates to an improvement in bristles; and it consists of certain features of construction and combination of. parts that are hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, in which-- Figure l is a front view of the bustle,show ing that side which comes in contact with the wearer. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the bustle, showing a side view of the parts transverse to that seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the bustle, showing the parts in the position they occupy when worn on the person.

The letter Adesignates the belt or waistband, to which the bustle is attached. The two ends of a flat U-shaped spring, B, are uppermost, and said ends are attached by eyelets c, or in any other suitable way, to the waistband, and from thence extend vertically downward and form a loop,B. Spring-bows D, in

the present instance to the number of tive, are

employed. Of these bows, one, D', is stationary, being rigidly attached at its center to the said vertical 'part of the U-shaped spring by a right-angled plate, e, one end of which is secured to the bow by an eyelet at e and the other end is secured to the said vertical part of the spring B by an eyelet, e2. The two ends f of the stationary bow project downward and serve as pivot-bearings for the other bows. All the bows and the waistband are connected by tape g. Any suitable device-such as a straight wire,vh-may be used as a pivot to unite the ends of the bows and allow them to turn up, and all take position in the same plane as the stationary bow D', as shown in Fig. 2, or to allow the bows to turn and take the position shown in Fig. 3. The loop B of 'y the U-shaped spring will depend below the bustle when the bows are all flattened together, asin Fig. 2, and when the bows are in the position to be worn, as in Fig. 3, the spring-loop B may be bent up and connected with the lowermost bow, D2, as shown in Fig. 3, and thereby the said spring will serve to keep all ,the bows properly spread. A strap or tape, i, is attached to the lowermost bow, and is provided with a buckle, and vserves to make the said connection with the spring-loop B.

Constructed as above described, the parts would be operative for the two desired purposes-namely, first, to have all the bows of the bustle take position in the same plane, so that the bustle is flattened, as shown in Fig. 2, and thereby admit of close packingfin a trunk for traveling or in boxes for shipment, and, second, to have the bows properly spread and kept so by the tension of a spring, thereby to adapt it to be worn. The addition, however, to the above-described construction of the elliptic-shaped springJ contributes to the tension of the U shaped spring, acts as a bearing fort-he bow-pivots, and serves as a crossbar cushion tosupport the bustle. The ellip. tic spring J extends horizontally and crosses the vertical U-shaped spring B, to which it is attached by eyelets k. The uppermost part of the elliptic spring has its outside surface, l, attached to the U spring, and the lowermost part has its inside surface, m, attached thereto. Thereby the said elliptic spring is subjected to a torsional strain which increases the tension orpower of the U-shaped spring. The bowed ends of the elliptic spring are in contact with the ends of the bows D, and present a vertical surface, a, through which extends the pivot h, on which the bows turn. elliptic spring J serves as a cross-bar cushion to rest against the back of the wearer, and

vthereby supports the bustle and the weight of the garments that come on it.

When a person with this bustle on takes a seat which has a back, the depending end B of the vertical spring will yield and allow the pivoted bows to turn up, and when the person rises the said spring end will draw the bows down to their proper position.

It is obvious that the vertical spring B may have other shape than that shown.

ticular U shape is not essential. Neither is the particular elliptic shape essential for the cross-bar cushion J.

In addition, the` IOO Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-` 1. A' bustle having in combination a waistband, A, a U-shaped spring, B, extending from the waistband vertically downward,with its loop end B depending below, a number of spring-bows, all having their ends united by a common pivot, an elliptic-shaped spring, J, extending horizontally across the said U shaped spring and attached thereto, `and a the depending loop end of spring with the lowermost bow.

3. A bustle having in combination a waistband, A, a number of bows, all having their ends united by a common pivot, a spring extending from waistband vertically downward and depending below the bustle, and a disengagng strap or tape, t', for connecting -th'e depending end of the vertical spring with th e lowermost bow, whereby when the bustle 1s worn the tension of the spring will keep the bows spread, and when it is desired to pack the bustle all the bows may be released from the tension of the spring and take position in the same plane. n

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 1n the presence of two witnesses.

VICTOR H. BUSCHMAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. MoRRIs, JNO. T. MADDOX, 

